Juventus ‘contact’ Chelsea for Jorginho, also want Emerson — report

Now that Jorginho has reportedly emerged as the primary target for Juventus, it was only a matter of time before more advanced developments would get mentioned in the rumor mill. And sure enough, according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Old Lady have already begun preliminary talks for the Italy international.

With Miralem Pjanić increasingly looking likely to leave Turin in the next transfer window, a big effort is apparently now underway to acquire Jorginho, who is seen as the “ideal replacement”. Fresh talks are expected soon, as per the report, with the Bianconeri also looking at a deal for Emerson Palmieri.

However, as expected, funds are limited, and Juventus are trying to offset the costs by offering Pjanić in return. But as it had been reported earlier, Chelsea are not interested in the 30-year-old’s services, and now it appears that neither is Pjanić interested in a move to London. On the other hand, Jorginho is apparently excited by the prospect of playing under Maurizio Sarri again, which isn’t exactly shocking given their shared history at Napoli and Chelsea.

While Emerson has remained a bit-part player, Jorginho has become a mainstay under Frank Lampard this season, and it’s hard to see the him leave unless a replacement is lined up. With Pjanić unlikely to be that man, it could bring Declan Rice back into contention. But first, Juventus will have to raise some funds.

Stay tuned! The saga’s just beginning.